Door fastener



J. G. THORNE DOOR FASTENER July 1 0, 192s. 1,617,060

Filed sept. 24,1926

Patented July`l0,`1928. i Y

UNITED STATES JOSEPH G. THORNE, 0F BARNUM, MINNESOTA.

DOOR FASTENER.

Application led September 24, 1926. Serial No. 137,551.

This invention relates to fasteners and more particularly to a fastener' adapted to bc applied to a swinging door employed in .connection with a building orvehicle to close the doorway thereof. j

One object ofthe invention is to provide a fastener which, when the door is closed, will serve to hold the door shut andeprevent it .from rattling. l

Another object of the invention is to premit the casing ofthe fastener to be readily secured to the door and the keeper-engaging member operated from either side of the door. y l

Another object of the invention is to so form the keeper-engaging member that, when projected and engaged with the keepeign cam action will occur and cause the door to be firmly held shut and prevented from rattling. V y

Another object `of the invention is to so mount the keeper that it may be adjusted and compensate for wear. j

The invention `is illustrated in the accom panying drawing, wherein y Figure 1 is a View showing the improved fastener applied to a door and door frame,

the viewbeing partially in vertical sectiony and partially in elevation;

j Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view taken "on the line: 2-2 of Fig. 1;

3 is an edge view ofthe keeper-enj gaging member, and

Fig 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the lined- 4 of Fig. 1. .y

The door fastener constituting the subject-matter of this invention includes a casing 1 preferably formedof metal andhaving a side wall 2 from which extend marginal walls 3, 4 and 5. `A second side wall 6 yfits against the free edges of the marginal walls and is secured by bolts 7 which are preferably of sufficient length to extend through the door Sto which the casing is to Vbe secured. It will be obvious, however. that` the wall 6 could be secured to the door by screws or bolts and the body of the casing consisting ofthevwall 2 and marginal walls attached to the wall 6 by bolts or in any' ether desired manner. j

A turning shaft 9 extends through alined openings 10 and 11 inthe walls 6 and2 and is of sufficient length to project through the door and from opposite sides thereof if the casing is mounted in a pocket cut in the body of the door instead of being attached to oneI face thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. Handles,

12 are provided at the endsV of the operating `shaft so that. it may be easily rotated when actuation ofthe fastener isnecessary. The keeper engaging member 13 which is norm'ally disposed `within the casing 1 consists of a substantially semi-circular disk formed of strong metal and provided with a hollow "hub 14 adapted to it snugly upon the operating shaft. A set screw 15 is passed through a threaded opening formed in the hub andm .adapted to frictionally engage theshaft and firmly hold the keeper-engaging memberin asset position. By referring to Fig. 2 it will seen that .the casing carries an abutment pin 16 which is preferably in the form of a A removable bolt or screw and is located ad-A jacent the. lower end of the casing so that it may be engaged by the keeper-engaging 'member and limit movement- Vthereof when `projected from the casing or swung into 1t.

neutral surface and for the remainder of its area `converges toward the face 17 in the directionof the opposite end of the disk to provide a cam surface 19. It will thus be seen that, when the securing 'disk is viewed as shown in Fig'. 3, it gradually increases in thickness from its lower end toward itsup per end where the cam surface 19 merges into the neutral surface 13 which extends to the upper end of the disk.

The keeper plate 2() which ,is secured .against one side of the door frame 21 is formed of metal and adjacent its outer side edge is provided with a longitudinally exl tending slot 22 through which the keeper-engaging member or disk 13 passes into a socket 23 formed in the door frame. Slots 24 are formed transversely in the keeper plate adjacent its upper and lower edges and are provided with inwardly converging upper and lower edge walls, one or both of which will be serrated to form rack teeth 25. Screws 26 .are passed through the slots 24 and carry wedging blocks 27 formed with teeth 28 to interlock with the teeth 25. By referring to Figs. 1 and 4, it will be seenthat by loosening'the screws 26 the blocks may be i moved out of interlocking engagement with the keeper so that the keeper may be moved transversely in order to compensate for wear upon the outer edge wall of the slot 22 or contacting `face of the fastening disk 13. When the fastener-1s 1n use, the casing 1s secured upon the door with the end portions of the shaft 9 projecting from opposite Sides of the door. The keeper is Secured against a side of the door traine and adjusted to such a position that the disk may enter the slot 22. By turning the handle after the door has been closed, the tapered end oi: the disk firstenters the slot and as turning is continued the cam surface 19 through engagement with the' outer edge wall ot the slot 22 will force the door inwardly to a tightly closed position and rattling of the doorwill be prevented. Since the neutral surface which is parallelv to the face 17 engages the outer wall of the slot22 when the dooris completely closed the disk will be prevented from slipping out oclose contacting engagement with the keeper plate and since the disk engages the abutment pin 16 when swung to the operative position shown inA Fig. 2, it may not be turned too far. Tf the outer edge wall of the slot 22 becomes worn; it is merely necessary to release the screws 2G and move the keeper plate. inwardly a sutlicient distance to compensate for the wear and then again tighten the screws. It will thus be seen' that with this fastener a door of abnilding or vehicle, such as an automobile, may be lirinly held closed and prevented from rattling. Movement of the securing disk in projecting and retracting directions is limited by its engagement with the adutment pin 16 and therefore it `cannot he moved in either direction beyond A the proper position.` Itshonld he also noted that when projected to the operative position the heaviest portion et the disk formed with Ithe neutral surface 18 is moved voutwardly over the top center to hold itself in the projected positionand that when re tracted its heaviest portion is disposed at its bottoni and inwardly of the abutment pin and prevents the disk -lroin having a `tendency to turn outwardly. Therefore, the disk wil retain itself in either a retracted or projected position and no springs or the like are required.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. A keeper formed with a sloty `having a side wall converging `inwardly toward an opposed side wall, and 'adjustable securing means for said keeper adapted to be passed through the slot and engaged with a support with a portion fitting into said slot and hearing against the opposed walls of the slot to releasably secure .the keeper in a set position but permit adjustment of the keeper longitudinally of the slot when the securing means is loosened.

A.2. A keeper formed witha slot having inwardly converging side walls, one wall being provided with teetlrand securing means for said keeper adapted to be passed through the slot and engaged with a support with a portion fitting into said slot and `formed with beveled side faces bearing againstthe converging walls of the slot to relcasably secure the keeper in a set position7 one side face of the securing means having teeth to interlock with the teeth ol the slot wall.

3. A keeper formed with ar slot having a side wall 'converging inwardly towards an opposed side Vally and provided with teeth, a retainer litting;r into said `slot and having opposed side edge faces engaging the' o)- posed walls of the slot, one edge face of tile retainer being provided with teeth inter engaging the teeth of the wall, and a fastener adapted to be passed through said retainer into a support and releasably hold the retainer in tight engagement with the opposed Valls of the slot audreleasably secure the keeper in a set position.

4.-. A; keeper formed with a slot having a side wall converging inwardlytowards'an opposed side wall, a block of less length than said slotI and formed with a fastener receiving opening itting into the slot, and a -fastener for said block adapted to he passed through the opening therein into a support and secure the block to the support with opposed edge faces of the block engaging' the side walls oi the slot to releasahly secure the keeper against the support in a set position. y

5. A Vkeeper of the character described comprising a plate formed with fastener receiving slots, blocks adapted to lit into the fastener receiving slots and have Vwedging engagement with oppositewalls thereoil and slidable longitudinally thereinto permit adjustment of the keeper longitudinally of the slots, and screws adapted Vto be passed through openings in the blocks into a support to releasably secure said blocks in hind- 'ing engagement with the opposed walls of the slots. Y

(3. A keeper for a door fastener coinprising a plate to tit against a support and formed with fastener receiving slots, blocks adapted to lit into the fastener receiving slots and have wedging engagementwith opposite walls thereof and slidable longitudinally therein to permit adjustment of the keeper longitudinally of the slots, the blocks and keeper having contacting edge faces serrated to provide interlocking teeth, and screws adapted to be passed through the the teeth of the keeper. l

In testimony7 whereof I ailix my signature.

4JOSEPH G. THORNE. [n 5.]

.blocks into the support and releasably secure Asaid blocks with their teeth interlocked with 

